


We Are Same People

by ForelsketParadise



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Male-Female Friendship, Senpai-Kouhai Relationship, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:07:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26774869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForelsketParadise/pseuds/ForelsketParadise
Summary: Touko makes Toramaru understand that he can't always be there for him mother and it's okay to take help.Written for Ina11writing challenge for lisonari. I tweaked a little with the prompt. I hope that's okay.
Relationships: Utsunomiya Toramaru & Zaizen Touko
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	We Are Same People

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lisonari](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Lisonari).



It has been three days since Touko and Rika arrived on Licott Island to support the boys in their final matches. 

Toramaru being the youngest member on the team is in awe of the two female players. He has never met a girl who can play soccer the way those two plays. 

He wants to learn everything he can from them. It won't be wrong to say that he idolized them just as much as he idolized the rest of the team.

Toramaru in particular idolizes the pink head girl more than the other. The way Touko carries herself with grace and level headless never fails to impress him. 

He wants to be able to carry himself just like her. If, one day he can't be like Gouenji-san then he wants to be like Touko-san.

He wants to talk to the elder girl and get to know more about her and learn from her. Everytime he wants to talk to her, his courage fails him. 

Unlike the other older girls he interacts with,Touko has an intimating aura around her and sometimes it makes her look less approachable to him. He knows she means business.

Today however is a different day altogether. They have been practicing all morning but Toramaru isn't in his usual excitable form.He is feeling rather homesick right now. 

He has been missing his mother alot for the last couple of days. He constantly worries about her health even though he knows she is in safe hands with Niomi neechan. 

His dull demeanor didn't go unnoticed by the team. They as a whole decides to give him a day to gather himself together. They have full faith in their precious kouhai to pull himself together.

During lunch time Toramaru is out on the field kicking the ball by himself when he hears someone approaching him.

"Do you mind if I join you?" The new comer asks.

He looks back to see that it was Touko who has come out to see him.

"No, not at all Zaizen-senpai," he eagerly answers. 

"Call me Touko like the rest of them.Zaizen-san is my dad and I don't really believe in the whole sports hierarchy business. We are all equal on the field after all," Touko tells him.

"Alright, Touko-san," he agrees, flushing a little.

"Good boy," she pats his head.

They casually kick around the ball for sometime before Touko breaks the silence between them.

"What's on your mind,kid?" she asks him.

"There nothing wrong,Touko-san," he instantly replies.

"Toramaru, please don't lie to me.All of us have noticed that something wrong with you. I am just the first one to ask you about it," she tells him.

"It's just that I miss okaa-san so much. That's it," he finally admits.

"See it wasn't difficult to admit, was it?" she lightly chides him.

"This is the first time that you are away from your mother for a long duration, right?" she asks him.

Toramaru nods his head. It is indeed the first time away from her and he isn't even in the same country as her.

"It's okay to miss your mother. Everyone on the team misses their family but that's not the only issue here, isn't?" she nudges him a little to open up. 

"I just worry about her health. She hasn't been well for a couple of years now. I know our neighbour Niomi neechan is looking after her but I-" Toramaru tells her everything before she interrupts him.

"You don't have to say anything else. Come sit with me for a few minutes," she says while settling down on the green patch surrounding the pitch. 

Toramaru is by her side immediately. They sit in silence for a couple of minutes before Touko breaks the ice.

"I totally get what you mean. My Otoo-san might not be sick but he is the president of Japan and I worry about his safety all the time too,"

Toramaru looks at her in shock. He didn't expect someone to understand his feelings.

"We as children will always be worried about them just as they will always worry about us. All we can do is take care of them when we can and when we are not with them? We just believe in them to take care of themselves," she muses.

Toramaru takes a moment to think about what she said. It didn't help reduce his anxiety much.

"I know it isn't easy especially with us who are an only child to a single parent. We know they are our responsibility, but you know what Toramaru? We are just children we can't be there with them always. We can't protect them always. We can't take care them always. We just have to live with that," she goes on.

"But Touko-san, doesn't it make you feel guilty?" he asks her.

"It does especially since I love him so much, but then he has a whole team to protect him. I just have to put my faith in those people to protect him," she answers.

"Let's me ask you something. Is Niomi-chan taking proper care of your mother?" she asks him.

"She is," he replies.

"Then you just have to trust her to take care of your mother. It isn't what you want to do. Leave your mother to someone else care but it is a necessity and you can't run away from it," she makes him understand.

"I know, it's just hard being away from her. I know Niomi nee-chan will take care of her. I   
have seen her take care of okaa-san so many times. I trust her but I just miss my okaa-san," he opens up.

"You are not alone, Toramaru. You have a whole team here who has your back. You can talk to us whenever you need us. We will be there for you," she tells him.

"Talk to us when you get overwhelmed with how much you miss your mother. We can share our experiences with you and make you realise you are not alone here. Promise me you would do that?" she asks a promise from him.

"I promise. I am sorry for worrying everyone," he replies.

"Don't be. We look after our own and you are one of us. Our precious little kouhai," she reassures him and ruffles his head.

" Come on, I will teach you a move or two. Is there something you want to learn from me?" she offers him.

Toramaru lits up with joy. He did want to learn from her. 

"Well there is something that you can teach me," he says while walking back to the field and gathering up the ball.

Touko spends the next hour teaching Toramaru everything she knows about soccer. She is glad she came to talk to him. They now have their firehouse back in action.


End file.
